Are YOU A Good Samaritan? Am I?

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the one about The Good Samaritan.

In the Gospel of Luke, the parable is introduced to explain the question, “Who is my neighbor?” The two great commandments are shared, and in the second commandment, we find “The Golden Rule”. I’m sure you’ve heard about this powerful story Jesus told… Oh there is SO much to learn from it.

Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”

He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, [Deuteronomy 6:5]; and your neighbor as yourself [Leviticus 19:18].”

He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”

Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?”

Most people are well aware of The Good Samaritan, but perhaps never really read the story in its entirety. After revisiting this parable once again, I am renewed with awareness and conviction in its message…

Am I truly a Good Samaritan?

How often do I see people in need, and pass by on the other side?

Do I heed Christ’s calling, when I encounter soul after soul, day after day, everywhere I go… giving me an opportunity to serve?

Or do I selfishly justify my own agenda? Rushed. Distracted. Irritated at those that beckon my attention. Or worse, do I deem them unworthy of my time and effort?

I’m realizing that my life is bound in comfort and safety, and my boundaries are drawn- limiting me from seeing the other side of the road, keeping me from going there.

It’s so easy to keep to ourselves, our lives, and our people.

Isn’t it?

I have become somewhat blind to those barriers that have slowly been built- surrounding my sacred world of plenty, of selfish demands, forgoing the dirty work with my clean hands.

The irony is that I always looked on the priest and the Levite with such disdain, using my punishing critical voice of “how could they?”

But wait.

I see me.

“Love thy neighbor” doesn’t mean:

Help when you have time. Help when your heart is in the right place. Help when you have energy. Help when it’s convenient. Help when it’s someone you are comfortable with and love. Help only those you agree with and understand. Help only the people you deem lovable and worthy of help. Help only those who believe what you believe.

Oh, it means so much more…

Sacrificial. Selfless. Enduring. Unconditional. Generous. Forgiving.

Our neighbor = ALL PEOPLE.

We don’t know what the Priest and the Levite had in mind, when they chose to ignore this wounded man. Perhaps they didn’t want to get their holy hands dirty, or their sacred lives messy. It could be that they were so distracted with their own pious mission, they simply didn’t think to look up to see the man. Or even worse? They believed someone so broken and beaten down was surely not worthy of their precious time and attention. Were their deceiving beliefs keeping them from serving their Lord? Oh, this fundamental hypocrisy lays the groundwork for so many.

Whatever the reasons, no matter their intentions, two prestigious people dishonored God’s greatest purpose for our lives. God calls us all to care for his children. There are no boundaries, no rules, nor qualifiers that limit this command.

And the one man, who was hated among the Jews… did what was right. The Good Samaritan. He cared for a broken and beaten human being who was in desperate need.

What I love about this story, is how Jesus chose a Samaritan to exemplify doing His good work. Someone whom people despised back in that day. Christ honors HIS heart, HIS choice, HIS service, and condemns the others for neglecting what is most important to Him. Caring for his children. ALL of them.

Oh how this truth is powerful, and the message is clear. May we all stop our busy distracted lives to lift the wounded, tend to the weak, love the unlovable, serve those in need. No matter who they are, how ugly the situation is, or how broken and beaten down they appear.

Christians, we need to get our holy hands dirty, and our sacred lives messy. We need to feel the burden of our Lord, when we open our view to see the broken and wounded, the weak and the lost. We need to stretch our comfortable places, and remove our fears, our judgments, our daily distractions-

And cross the road.

I expand my view to our global concerns. Who of us is not willing to open our arms to people across the world in need? From the far off places of atrocities, to our own street corners of homelessness… Are we turning our heads and looking away? Are we distracted, or fearful, or honestly ignorant? Do we deem them unholy and refuse to get too near? Are the lost and broken unworthy of our compassion?

Christ’s heart is PASSIONATE for them.

Therefore, OUR HEARTS need to be passionate for them.

I don’t know about you, but I feel compelled to put my work boots on, grab my antibacterial gel, and go get messy.

Comments

I cannot thank you the reminder here today to try to be a better person and to help others unselfishly. Seriously, I know there are times I may be lacking int his and just so much love for not letting me forget this with your words of inspiration here.

Oh Janine, I’m SO glad you really soaked in this message straight to your heart, my friend! It really took my heart too, thinking through this when I wrote it and it still does today. I really do feel convicted too, and I want to DO something with that conviction. Will see if and where God is calling me to serve. I’ll be praying He leads you to some roads to cross too. <3

He does call us to cross the road. Often I am guilty of giving the easy and comfortable way with charitable donations that keep me in the background. I make lunches but do not serve them, for example. I write letters to prisoners but do not go into the prisons. Yes, time to stay open to come out from the background….

Your giving makes a huge difference, I’m sure of that Lynn! I think God calls us all to different ministries, purposes, and missions according to our own gifts and abilities. I LOVE that you write letters to the prisoners. What a huge impact that can have on each person you reach. Some people love ‘hands on’ and others serve like you. God can use us all in so many different ways. I’ve been leading ministries out of my home for five years now. I’ve done some outreach things here and there for sure, but nothing committed. I’m feeling God nudge me toward taking some faithful steps into a new ‘territory’ of serving… YIKES! Scary! Praying about where He wants me to take those steps now… Will see.

Let me know if you feel led to stretch your boundaries too. We can support each other. <3

A well written article about a very difficult subject in modern times. What is the average person (you and me) called to do these days? Donate as much as we can afford to charities and let them do our work for us? Or go out there and actively get involved? Are we equipped enough, and knowledgeable enough, to go in the streets and work with and help the homeless? The destitutes? The alcoholics and addicts? And those rejected by society?

Some might say that we put ourselves in danger if we do so as individuals. Perhaps joining organised groups like soup kitchens is the answer.

I love your thoughtful response, Victor. Thank you so much for really chewing through this message. I agree, there are many choices out there with different ways we can serve. It is up to each one of us to decide what fits best for who we are, and what we can offer. I struggle with the same questions for my own mission. Right now I am praying about that very choice, waiting for God’s direction and guidance. I think we all have our own path to take in crossing the road. I hope you have found or will find yours!

I think it truly does rank up there, my friend. I applaud you!! It is SO hard to be the ‘bigger person’… but the peace that comes with that, is worth your sacrifice. Your choice to rise above whatever pit someone was trying to pull you in, is one that you will never regret. Good for YOU. <3

Wow. I think a lot of us get caught up in our own lives and when we have filled up schedules we aren’t as open to serve. But like you said when we ask ourselves how can I serve we are thinking more like Christ.

Stretching outside of ourselves and our own little comfortable lives is truly what we are all called to do. It’s surely not one I am doing right now, for various reasons- but nonetheless, I need to take some faithful steps toward crossing that road- or even finding the road in the first place! It’s really easy to stay in our safe place. I don’t think Christ wants us to remain there.

It is. And thinking of all the calls I missed to even be IN THAT PLACE to cross that road. Thank God for renewal every day, to do better. Over and over again. <3 I need to work on this. God made it very clear to me...

Chris! You are light and love my friend. Thank you for the reminder – it really is so easy to get enveloped into our rushes and chores and doing and being late and and and. Here’s to remembering to help and to getting messy (love that you’re bringing hand sanitizer though). <3

YAY!! Someone caught my hand sanitizer!! LOLOL I swear I laughed OUT LOUD when I wrote that. I almost deleted it- but what the heck… it’s so so me. I laughed OUT LOUD again, when I read your comment, Kristi! 🙂 Totally packing the sanitizer, because I’m a wimp like that. LOL

Hi Chris! Yes, cross the road! I love that call to action. It reminds me of this one: get out of the boat.
I was just reading a book that said simple doesn’t mean easy. (Blog post in the works!) It sounds so natural to extend ourselves in grace and help, but as you look deeply to your own life, I see in mine that I have work to do.

Sounds simple. Not so easy. I have to get out of my own way…
Blessings,
Ceil

What timing for me to read this. I just got off the phone with my 83 year-old father, who lives alone in NYC. He told me he fell down on the sidewalk and couldn’t get up. It took a few minutes (you know, those Manhattan people all looking down at their cell phones), but a woman came over and asked him if he needed help and then called another man over to help him up and then they called an ambulance for him. He was FINE thankfully, and I’m even more thankful that those good samaritans helped my dad.

Oh wow Emily… that story hits home with this message, doesn’t it? I’m so so glad your father is okay, and there were good Samaritans that crossed ‘the road’ to help him. There’s a lesson for us all in that. <3

Sometimes it’s easy to judge or assume. But really, what if those first 2 people in the parable have good reasons? Sometimes we’re in such situation that makes us think that maybe they’re not entirely evil. To be a good Samaritan takes a lot of bravery too. And compassion, as it’s really an essential thing for Christians.

Chris, you always make me a bit uncomfortable;) and believe it or not, I like it. Am I truly a good person? Well, not if it’s inconvenient for me, and that is terrible. But I want to be. Thank you for reminding me
And I agree, this is a particularly important discussion for our modern politically charged/angry days.

Oh Allie, that just makes me smile! You are so adorable and I LOVE your honesty. 🙂 I *think* I’m glad that I make you a bit uneasy, yes? LOL I make myself uneasy all the time, so welcome to my world! It’s good to be challenged. I need it often to really be more intentional in how I live. We all probably do…

Here’s to being inconvenienced- and perhaps maybe stretching ourselves a little bit more for others. I’m right there with you, my friend.

I try. I try not to judge and ask questions and just help, but I know I DO, and I know I don’t help as much as I could, and I avoid it when it’s inconvenient or too costly or whatever. I love the gentleness of your reminder and how willing you are to call yourself out first.

Thanks for being such a lovely good example in the getting it wrong and trying to get it right.

Beautiful and such an eye opener – all kinds of people need help, rich, poor, all backgrounds and groups! Love this – Jesus was the best example for us! I need to remember this more often and open my eyes around me!

Thanks so much Clare. It really is an eye opener, and perhaps a heart opener as well. It is for me. I think it starts with being willing to stretch and reach beyond ourselves… yes? I’m working on that. 🙂

So we’ve reminded one another tonight of some important lessons. I know I be that Good Samaritan more often – not just to the stranger, but to those close to me especially. Thanks for making me think. 🙂

Yes, we surely have, my friend. BOTH are so important, aren’t they? I really feel convicted to stretch beyond my comfortable boundaries- into a new arena of people to help. I love serving in my own ways, and this begs me to look beyond that. Will see what God has in store for me… 🙂 I love how this spoke to you more in reaching those nearest to you, Lisa. Good. <3

I love that you too, have been intent on this issue and looking outward to others in need. LOVE that. I feel so compelled and convicted by this idea. I must do something about it. Something MORE than what I am currently doing… I feel like I have been living ‘safe’ for too long. It’s time to get uncomfortable in a good way. 🙂

This post brought me to tears Chris. I feel so grieved by what’s happening in the world and even more grieved by Christians slamming doors on the hopeless, the helpless, those in need. I am grieved by Christians calling other people evil and hence not helping. I have been emotionally struggling with this for a while because amidst all this grief and pain for others, I have intense anxiety and for mental/emotional stability, I sometimes have to close my door, turn off the TV and just not think about it all.

Sorry, I have no idea if this makes sense to you. I once read about burden bearers, and sometimes I wonder if that’s what I am… the tears I spontaneously cry are spiritual tears for others in need.

I often ask God to use me – to show me how to help – sometimes the opportunities present themselves and sometimes I encounter nothing.

I love your beautiful faithful heart, Jennifer. It all makes absolute sense. “Burden bearers”… I’ve never heard of that, but I adore what it stand for, despite the pain it may bring to the one with the gift- you. It sounds so incredibly profound and exactly what you endure as you take on that weight so freely, and feel the suffering too. I really believe that God calls us all to cross the road in our own unique ways, according to our gifts. Perhaps this is your way. And as you take on that suffering, praying for them is surely one powerful way to serve, my friend. I’m super sensitive to it all and to other people’s needs and their suffering as well. I understand being so overwhelmed with it all that you have to *shut down*. All that is going on around us, it’s horrific. Terrifying really.

I remember reading a blog a friend wrote and in the message something stuck with me. She said “God saw this day.” For many reasons, that touches me so deeply and brings me comfort. Our God saw this day… He is still in control and His Plan is in place. Find hope in that truth. It’s the only hope I know… <3

Every time I read you, every time I feel like I can do a bit more Chris. We can all do.
What we despise in others, we have it in us (at some stage). There is always some space for improvment.

It’s a step by step process, being there for others, crossing the street, walking towards the one needing help.
It’s not that easy, or we would all do it. It is asking us to get out of our comfort zone and make a difference, not the kind of one we’ll receive approval for, but the one that’ll make others feel like human beings again.

OH sweet friend, I’m so so glad my words challenge you! (They challenge me too. lol) It is so hard to cross that road for so many different reasons, isn’t it? Humanity- both in the hesitation and in the going. I’ll keep going, and you keep going too, okay? I believe you are on the right road as well… XOXO

My.Entire.Life the past two years!
(since no one seems to think that being a stay at home mom is “work.” but that’s another post.)

I’ve had some not so great comments as a result too. Like “aren’t you the busy beaver.” “my aren’t you into everything.” Um yeah… because no one else seems to want to do it. And despite how I have been personally called out publicly on my own Facebook for not posting something “Christian” enough… these are the people that ask such bitter questions. While they stand there talking in the church kitchen, munching desserts, while I dry dishes.
Yeah, that happened.
And you know some days, I DO want to be more Christ like for these people:
*flips a table* You come into my house??!!! Insult my Father’s work?!!
LOL

LOL! Oh girl, I love your spunk! You just keep crossing that road and serving and giving and offering and sacrificing. God is surely saying “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”- while they chat away. I’m so proud of all you are doing for HIM. And so thankful that HE is the one we ultimately serve. (I’m sorry you have been called out and been under fire, my friend. Awful.)

This is such a great reminder for me right now as last night I had a friend who I don’t see often message me on facebook. Just saying hi and one little line of feeling worried. I initially didn’t want to continue in a long conversation because I was working on my blog, but I have been reminding myself to say “What do you have for me today God.” And in that moment me being there for her just listening may have been what she needed. We can be good samaritans even in this online world we live in now and can be just as easy to ignore a message as well.

I love that you made that choice to serve your friend, when other priorities were fighting for your time Tasia. I HAVE BEEN THERE. It would have been easy to ignore the message. It has been easy for me to do the very same- ignore the call, the text, the message, the NEEDS all around me, for the sake of my own agenda that seems much more important at the time. May we both continue to be convicted and make those hard decisions to cross that road.

It IS easier. It’s easier to hear about the needs out in the world, and then just keep busying ourselves in our own lives too much to make the space to take those uncomfortable steps *across the road* where the need is great. I am challenged with this very thing too, Kelly. Thanks so much for coming by to read it!

You write so beautifully Chris, with conviction and such a strong, heartfelt message that reaches deep!!! I love this scripture, and yet I always question my own cushy life..how easy it is to become blind to those in need. The other thing about this scripture is that it’s the non-religious person who gives this person in need help. Now that is convicting..our neighbor is not necessarily religious.We are called to love our neighbor who may not be religious, but who has a heart like Christ. I love your post. It is a call to open our eyes to the needs around us! Thank you for writing from such a deep place.

Kathy, you KNOW how much I adore your writing and think the world of your biblical wisdom and faithful insights. Your praise and encouragement mean SO much to me. <3 I just LOVE that the person who ended up helping and going above and beyond was not only NOT religious, but wasn't he hated among the Jews? I think there are all KINDS of lessons in this one. I think my greatest passion is to not see or experience or reach others with 'tunnel vision‘ Christianity. I think this story reflects just that.